The baroque Chiesa del Gesù (Chiesa del Santissimo Nome di Gesù all’Argentina) is one of the main churches of Rome, and a visit is often included in walking tours of the city's most important historic and artistic churches, such as Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri, San Luigi dei Francesi, and Santa Maria sopra Minerva. You can combine a visit to Church of the Gesù with skip-the-line Vatican tickets to also tour St. Peter's Basilica, or opt for an audio-guided tour to visit this and other attractions at your own pace.
The church was built in the 16th century to replace an older Jesuit church marking the spot where the founder of the Jesuit order, Saint Ignatius of Loyola, once prayed to an image of the Virgin Mary (still preserved inside). The ornate frescoes over the nave and inside the dome by Giovanni Battista Gaulli date from the 17th century and feature clever trompe l’oeil effects.